Video: Boy, 12, dubbed the next Usain Bolt as he races past rival

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Usain Bolt? No, it's a 12-year-old boy who seems to have wings on his heels as he leaves rival athletes for dead in an astonishing burst of speed that has had observers dub him 'the next Usain Bolt'.

James Gallaugher was running the final section of the 4x100m New South Wales primary schools championships in Australia when he seemed to hit the turbo booster to propel him near, on and then beyond the helpless lad in front – in an astonishing 11.72 seconds.

When the baton was handed to him, the youngster, from the small Australian coastal town of Ulladulla, was 20 metres behind the boy in the lead, but what followed next had everyone watching his feat in amazement.

His time would have been enough for him to win the gold medal in the 100metres at the first Olympic Games in 1896. The time was faster than anything else recorded in the US or Australia for his age group.